The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1887-05-04
WITH 4 PANTHER.
THRILLING STORY TOLD BY A WIS
coNSlN PIONEER.

A nackwoods Lad Makes the Acquaint-
ance of AN oyergrown, Good Natnred
"Cat"-An ominous GroWiing-A Pi'
oneer In Barn.
"When WAS n lad of 10, says Slias
Smith an old pioneer OF WISCONSIN, my
father removed 10 this state from New
England and settled about three miles
from MADISON The place was village
then. and IA small one at that and re
member once seeing a deer running down
the main street with dozen dogs alter
him The road from the village to our
clearing was little better than path.
There were only two farmers having oxen
and wagons. and so there was little use
for roads Just at the edge Of the woods
outside the village was log barn belong
ing to storekeeper named Roberts. That
was the last building we passed going
home. and the first one come to as we Ell
tered the village clearing. From that
stable to my fathers house, three miles,
there was only one break in the forest,
and that was ON ten acre clearing
"After having passed over the route
several times with my father, | was per-
1nittcd to travel it alone whenever any
thing was wanted from town. After
time | could have almost followed the
trail with my eyes shut, and had no fear
IL the wolves and panthers heard talked
nbout. because | was told that no wild
beast ever attacked people by daylight.
II was one of the first days of October
that as ! was about half way through the
weeds on an errand to the village, and the
time being mdforenoon, n panther sprang
from the limbs Of large beech under
which | was passing, and alighted upon
the ground beside me. There was not
even growl to warn me of his presence,
and he dropped down beside me as softly
rs "A cat and rs good natured as a rabbit.
| had never heard a panther described,
and. while suspected this was one, | WAS
not sure He jumped into the path ahead
of me and began To zigzag back and forth
across it. purring all the time like cat,
and seeming 10 be highly pleased when
my legs rubbed against him.
\ GOOD NATURED Cat"
Il was n bit frightened at first, but
after n few minutes / made up my mind
that it was some animal which would not
hurt me, and then we had rompin9
time. / would clap my hands and shsut
Sick EN- and the panther would 90
skurrving here and there like n young
pup. sometimes rolling over and over on
the leaves, and again making such leaps
and bounds as excited my admiration.
When we came to a level piece OF ground
| ran race with him, and when he got
into the patch ahead of me | seized the
tip Of his tail and hung on and laughed
until the woods rang. On two or three
occasions, as the panther was gamboling
ahout me he made n clean spring right
oyer my head.
at was only when we reached the edge
of the village clearing that suspected the
identity of my visitor The near presence
of other human beings seemed to anger
him, and he snarled and growled and tore
at the ground with his claws. patted him
on the back and smoothed his fur and he
began purring again and was restored to
good nature He trotted alongside Of me
about half way to the barn have mem
toned, and then slipped away into
some fallen timber. | had been quite
badly frightened for some minutes, and
now seized this chance to make off. My
movements were FASTENED by an ominous
growing from the timber, and ] walked
Off at fast pace, and was within few
steps when | heard Il fierce scream and
turned my head and saw the great cat
bounding toward me. The door of the
barn was partly OPEN and without an in
stants reflection | sprang inside and
closed it. Before ! could have counted
twenty the panther was Mt hand. Luckily
for me it was n strong, rough door, made
of slabs and well put together. The beast
made terrific efforts to get in, and his
sharp claws made the splinters fly as he
Al.
inside fastening, and | had to brace with
all my might 10 prevent his ingress. He
was now worked up into a fury, and |
believe every hair of my head stood on
end rs ! fought 20 keep him out.
TnRorGH THE ROOF.
.'When the panther found that he could
not get in by the door he sprang upon the
roof heard him as he alghted on the
shocks, and, facing about, | saw there
was Il square hole in the roof left for o
chimney never built There was nothing to
prevent him leaping down, and this is just
what he intended doing. ! saw his shadow
ms he pcered over the edge of the open
ing, and was all ready rs his 1.-THE body
alightcd on the floor. In two winks | was
outside and had the door pulled to, and
again he was foled. lie was mad and no
mistake and, although was young hoy
and almost upset with fear, | had sense
enough left to be on the watch for him.
The caves of the building were so short
that, standing by the door, which had n
button outside and an old strap nailed to
the inside TO pull it shut, could see the
ridge pole.
"ln two or three minutes | heard the
clatter of claws as the beast went up the
| logs, and the moment half his body showed
through the opening | changed my posi-
| ton to the inside. He came down the
roof suffering and growing, and again
made fierce attack on the door | was
too much for him, and he again tried the
roof and the chimney hole. He came
down and went out, and he went up and
| came in. He was at the door, snarlng
in way TO send shivcrs up and down my
| back, when heard the report of n rifle
and directly two men came running up.
I The shot had been fatal, and the panther
| was dead. The men We're going to the
woods to hunt and, although close at
| hand, the panther had not noticed them.
There was ut that time bounty of $50,
think, ON n panther's scalp, and, while the
men claimed this, they gave me the skin
to reward my part in the adventure -
| Chicago Times.